Occupy Half Term – Today at OccupyLSX

A group of mothers and children from Cambridge has issued an invitation to every mother in the UK to join them today, Wednesday 26th October at Occupy London Stock Exchange at St Paul’s Churchyard. This is an opportunity to find out more about the camp, which is part of the global movement for real democracy aiming to challenge social and economic injustice in the UK and beyond.

Parents and children are invited to meet members of the occupation, as well as supporting groups including Anonymous (UK) and Global Women’s Strike. Through a special workshop, put together by the camp’s Tent City University, children will have the chance to practice direct democracy in an open and inclusive space. There will also be a short dance and a procession back to Liverpool Street Station at 2.45pm, for those taking the train from London back to Cambridge. Parents and carers unable to attend can track Occupy Half Term with their playgroups and schools online. More information can be found at the facebook group Occupy Half Term and at the blog http://www.libertyandowain.blogspot.com/.

Come and join! The schedule for the day is:

Meet at Cambridge train station at 10:00 for the 10:15 to London Liverpool St – stories and snacks on the train as well as sign-in and talk with Rachel.

Arrive at Liverpool St Station at 11:45. The train will be met by some people from the camp and some other mums joining the event. We will walk together to St Paul’s

12:15 A look around and orientation before meeting Anonymous – the group who wears the Guy Fawkes masks. They have promised a completely on the level question and answer period, where kids can ask them why they are there, what they are doing, why they wear those masks and what they want.

Lunch at the Vegan Cafe – There is a free Vegan Cafe that has delicious plentiful food so a packed lunch may not be necessary. While we sit and eat lunch, a very nice lady named Ruth from the outreach committee has promised to talk to us about the camp and what has happened and why they are camping. [Please bring your own plates if you can or food if your kids are not into lentil bake type arrangements – there is always plenty of fruit and cakes and tea].

1:00 General Assembly and Tour: This unique leaderless format of direct democracy in order for a group to come to a consensus came via the Spanish indignados and Tahrir Square to Occupy Wall Street and thus to all the occupations in the world (more than 1000). It has its own protocols and sign languages and it is fascinating to watch. The kids won’t watch a whole session, though, they will watch for a bit before they tour the camp, including the prayer tent and free book store, first aid tent.

2:00 Tent City University: This will be amazing. The facilitators at the camp’s Tent City University have promised to be there and listen to the kids and help them have their own general assembly about what they have seen, what they want to do next. The function of listening humbly while all have their say has really been a great personal learning experience for me.

2:30 Dancing: There is a lot of joy in this camp, a lot of hope for a better world, a lot of pleasure in simple human activities like dancing and listening to music – things that do not cost money, so there will be music and dancing!

2:45 Departure to catch the 3:15 back to Cambridge. People from the camp have promised to walk us back.

Started by a mum with a mortgage who is sympathetic to Occupy London, Occupy Half Term has evolved into an event for everyone who is curious and who would like first-hand information about the London occupations. Occupy London and Occupy Half Term are both sympathetic to the difficulties and expense of bringing children across or into London and sympathetic to the fact that schedules are filled, and that time for politics and protest is all but non-existent in the life of a mum. Both are happy with the response thus far and are happy to welcome any other parent and child who wishes to witness and consider the occupation.

Tent City University is also be running a ‘Tent School’ for students during half-term from Monday 24th October. Each day from between 2-4pm, students are immersed in a new citizenship curriculum written by activists involved in Occupy London, and the students will then feedback what they have learned from the week at the General Assembly on Saturday 28 October.

About Press Release

6 Responses to “Occupy Half Term – Today at OccupyLSX”

Am over-60 living in country and cannot get to London. Have Occupy London got anyone on their side who has ‘Freedom of the City of London’? Might help with the legalities. Also – and seriously not being racist here, but people of a certain age, living in the country, would be more convinced by a British accent from spokesperson. Onwards. x

This is an excellent idea! It will help spread the message! The press is trying to slaughter you! Do not trust them! Well i suppose the guardian has been quite supportive but i think they’ve still ran articles reporting that the catheral had to close and the poor church was losing 20,000 a day! Why the hell do they need that? Lol… And then the church of england plays monopoly with the money on the stock market!… How the church get’s away with it i don’t know! Donations should not be used in such a way! Not to mention the “investments” they’ve chosen are all banks! Hmmm i wonder why the cathedral want’s you gone! What great, honest, compassionate, beautiful christians they are!

Anyway you keep up the great work! The attacks have not worked and in fact people are appalled at the “christians” behaviour! My fall support goes to all of you!

You Occupy fools are getting no support from most people, including me. Go home and stop moaning. Better still, do something constructive like actually getting involved in real politics. But wait, I forgot, that isn’t anywhere as much fun as camping in central London or dressing up like a zombie. Idiots.

thank god for occupy london which god is not supporting why is this is god owned by our corrupt puppet government which does what it is told by our corrupt government who we elect not to be corrupt who is their god corrupt terrorist bankers or us the people the church and the judiciary should be on the side of people against corrupt governments which alas pay their wages and must do as they are told.

thank god he has been brought into this argument who is he or more importantly who is god is he the man in the bible or is he a crook it is about time the clergy and the judiciary excerised their authority over our corrupt government which pays their salaries and god help anyone who disagrees with our corrupt government which deceived us it was not corrupt and hides behind its own laws that prevent joe public from exposing HM Governments frauds which misleads us and deceives us it is open and transparent and shoots us down when we expose their frauds.

Fraud is only possible if 3 elements exist which requires a fraudster and a victim and the abscence of a capable gaurdian why isn’t HM UK corrupt government investigating corrupt bankers frauds and evicting occupy London from St Pauls has it something to hide ………………………………of course it has which is why it will go too extremes to shut up anyone who confront corrupt govenrment.